Pandalam palace refuses to be in the fray

While the Sabarimala protests form the core of the Bharatiya Janata Party’s poll plank in central Travancore, a recent attempt by the party to get as much out of it was dealt a blow with the Pandalam palace, trustees of the hill shrine, rejecting an offer to contest the Assembly elections with party support. Sources said the offer was made to the Pandalam palace managing committee by BJP State president K.Surendran, when his pre-election rally, Vijay Yatra, reached Pandalam last week. While paying a visit to the palace, Mr.Surendran held discussions with P.G. Sasikumara Varma and P.N. Narayana Varma, president and secretary of the palace body, and sought their support in the elections.